EMINEMFrom The Trailer

Park to Fame

“Have you ever been hated or discriminated against?

I have; I've been protested and demonstrated against

Picket signs for my wicked rhymes, look at the times

Sick as the mind of the motherfuckin kid that's behind

All this commotion emotions run deep as ocean's explodin

Tempers flarin from parents just blow 'em off and keep goin…” – Eminem, Cleaning out my

closet, first verse.

Eminem, born as Marshall Bruce Mathers III, had a difficult childhood. His mother was a drug addict who could not hold a job, and his father left when he was a baby. He bounced around the United States until he ended up in Detroit at the age of twelve. He had always loved rapping and has memories of rapping to his babysitter as early as the age of five years old. (eminem.net, quotes/growing up)

"We just kept moving back and forth because my mother never had a job. We kept getting kicked out of every house we were in. I believe six months was the longest we ever lived in a house." - Eminem(eminem.net, quotes/growing up)

(Bingaman, 2012)

Even as a child, Eminem faced the discrimination of being a white boy in a black neighborhood. He frequently got beat up, and eventually dropped out of school after failing the 9th grade 3 times. Eminem says that he didn’t fail because he was stupid, but rather because he just didn’t go to school. (eminem.net, quotes/growing up)

"There was a while when I was feeling like, 'Damn, if I'd just been born black, I would not have to go through all this'." - Eminem(eminem.net, quotes/race)

(Eminemlounge.com)

Eminem created the alter ego Slim Shady to express his malevolent side. In Eminem’s music Slim Shady says, and does, all of the wicked things that Eminem cant. Slim shady is a pill popping, womanizing, gun toting, crazy person with a “just don’t care” attitude.

(Howien07, 2012)

After Eminem released the hit single “My name is,” his mother, Debbie Nelson, tried to sue him for $10 million for defamation of her name. In his song he talks about how his mother did drugs and was not there for him emotionally. His mother says that it is not true; she always supported him. After the trial, she said "I did not mean to sue my son for defamation. I just wanted to stop my home being repossessed and clear up the financial problems that had been caused." (Fuoco, 2008)

Lyrics from Eminem’s hit single “My name is” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA6_yvgS9AsSecond verse: (Min. 1:58-2:09)

“Ninety-nine percent of my life I was lied toI just found out my mom does more dope than I do (Damn!)I told her I'd grow up to be a famous rapperMake a record about doing drugs and name it after her (Oh thank you!)” (azlyrics.com, 2000-2012)

(mlive.com)

At the end of the hearing, the judge ruled in her favor. However, instead of getting $10 million she was awarded $25,000; almost all of which went to her attorney. Debbie Nelson only ended up with about $1,600. Nelson’s lawyer had hoped that suing Eminem would give him a “wake up call” and maybe he wouldn’t rap about her anymore. That did not work. About a year later he released another hit song titled “Cleaning Out My Closet.” This entire song is about his upbringing and his relationship with his mother (Fuoco, 2008). I found this song, and video, to be very moving. It really shows you his perspective of what it was like growing up that kind of household.

(radaronline.com)

Lyrics from “cleaning out my closet” by Eminem Verse 3: (2:56-4:00) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ9_TKayu9s

“Now I would never diss my own momma just to get recognition

Take a second to listen for who you think this record is dissin

But put yourself in my position; just try to envisionWitnessin your momma poppin prescription pills in the

kitchenBitchin that someone's always goin throuh her purse and

shit's missinGoin through public housin systems, victim of

Munchausen's SyndromeMy whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I

wasn't'Til I grew up, now I blew up, it makes you sick to ya

stomachDoesn't it? Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me

Ma?So you could try to justify the way you treated me Ma?But guess what? You're gettin older now and it's cold

when your lonelyAnd Nathan's growin up so quick he's gonna know that

your phonyAnd Hailie's gettin so big now; you should see her, she's

beautifulBut you'll never see her - she won't even be at your

funeral!See what hurts me the most is you won't admit you was

wrongBitch do your song - keep tellin yourself that you was a

mom!But how dare you try to take what you didn't help me to

getYou selfish bitch; I hope you fuckin burn in hell for this

shitRemember when Ronnie died and you said you wished it

was me?Well guess what, I am dead - dead to you as can be!”

(AZLyrics, 2000-2012)

Due to his controversial lyrics, Eminem has been sued approximately 47 times for a total of $23 million (Aaron).Seven of the times he was sued was by his own mother (Answers). In 2000, Eminem released the song “The Way I Am” which is about his stress of being famous. It talks about him being sued, and being blamed for other peoples actions.The song “Sing For The Moment” is also about his stress of being famous. In verse 3 he says:“They say music can alter moods and talk to youWell can it load a gun up for you , and cock it tooWell if it can, then the next time you assault a dudeJust tell the judge it was my fault and i'll get suedSee what these kids do is hear about us totin' pistolsAnd they want to get one cause they think the shit's cool”

I sit back with this pack of Zig Zags and this bagOf this weed it gives me the shit needed to beThe most meanest MC on this - on this EarthAnd since birth I've been cursed with this curse to just curseAnd just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that worksAnd it sells and it helps in itself to relieveAll this tension dispensin these sentencesGettin this stress that's been eatin me recently off of this chestAnd I rest again peacefully (peacefully)...But at least have the decency in youTo leave me alone, when you freaks see me outIn the streets when I'm eatin or feedin my daughterTo not come and speak to me (speak to me)...I don't know you and no,I don't owe you a mo-therfuck-in thingI'm not Mr. N'Sync, I'm not what your friends thinkI'm not Mr. Friendly, I can be a prickIf you tempt me my tank is on empty (is on empty)...No patience is in me and if you offend meI'm liftin you 10 feet (liftin you 10 feet)... in the airI don't care who is there and who saw me just jaw youGo call you a lawyer, file you a lawsuitI'll smile in the courtroom and buy you a wardrobeI'm tired of arguin' (of arguin')...I don't mean to be mean but that's all I can be is just me

[Chorus:]And I am, whatever you say I amIf I wasn't, then why would I say I am?In the paper, the news everyday I amRadio won't even play my jam'Cause I am, whatever you say I amIf I wasn't, then why would I say I am?In the paper, the news everyday I amI don't know it's just the way I am

Sometimes I just feel like my father, I hate to be botheredWith all of this nonsense it's constantAnd, "Oh, it's his lyrical content -- the song 'Guilty Conscience' has gotten such rotten responses"

And all of this controversy circles meAnd it seems like the media immediatelyPoints a finger at me (finger at me)...So I point one back at 'em, but not the index or pinkieOr the ring or the thumb, it's the one you put upWhen you don't give a fuck, when you won't just put upWith the bullshit they pull, 'cause they full of shit tooWhen a dude's gettin bullied and shoots up his schoolAnd they blame it on Marilyn (on Marilyn)... and the heroinWhere were the parents at? And look where it's atMiddle America, now it's a tragedyNow it's so sad to see, an upper class ci-tyHavin this happenin (this happenin)...Then attack Eminem 'cause I rap this way (rap this way)...But I'm glad 'cause they feed me the fuel that I need for the fireTo burn and it's burnin and I have returned

[Chorus:]

I'm so sick and tired of bein admiredThat I wish that I would just die or get firedAnd dropped from my label and stop with the fablesI'm not gonna be able to top on "My Name is... "And pigeon-holed into some pop-py sensationThat got me rotation at rock'n'roll stationsAnd I just do not got the patience (got the patience)...To deal with these cocky caucasians who thinkI'm some wigger who just tries to be black 'cause I talkWith an accent, and grab on my balls, so they always keep askinThe same fuckin questions (fuckin questions)...What school did I go to, what hood I grew up inThe why, the who what when, the where, and the how'Til I'm grabbin my hair and I'm tearin it out'Cause they drivin me crazy (drivin me crazy)... I can't take itI'm racin, I'm pacin, I stand and I sitAnd I'm thankful for ev-ery fan that I getBut I can't take a SHIT, in the bathroomWithout someone standin by itNo I won't sign your autographYou can call me an asshole I'm glad

[Chorus:]

Lyrics from Eminem’s song “The Way I am”

Eminem’s relationship with Kim was rough to say the least. They got married and divorced two times, they cheated on each other, and there was domestic violence involved. After Eminem found out that Kim had been cheating on him, he lost it. He found them at the Hot Rocks Café in Warren. Kim was with a man named John Guerrera. Eminem approached them to threaten Guerrera with an unloaded 9mm pistol. Eminem allegedly pistol whipped Guerrera across the head but Eminem swears that it was his fist. In Eminem’s song “Sing For The Moment” the last line of verse two says, “you’re full of shit too Guerrera, that was a fist that hit you!” (LittleItaly, 2010). In 2000, Eminem wrote the extremely controversial song titled “Kim.”

(Today’s Top Opinion, 2006)

(Zimbo Inc., 2012)

Lyrics from “Kim” by Eminem Verse 1 0:24 – 1:17

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wrwXNwoj8 (dton47, 2009)

Don't make me wake this babyShe don't need to see what I'm about to do

Quit crying bitch, why do you always make me shout at you?How could you?

Just leave me and love him out the blueOh, what's a matter Kim?

Am I too loud for you?Too bad bitch, your gonna finally hear me out this time

At first, I'm like all rightYou wanna throw me out? That's fine!

But not for him to take my place, are you out you're mind?This couch, this TV, this whole house is mine!

How could you let him sleep in our bed?Look at Kim

Look at your husband now!(No!)

I said look at him!He ain't so hot now is he?

Little punk!(Why are you doing this?)

Shut the fuck up!(You're drunk! You're never going to get away at this!)

You think I give a fuck!Come on we're going for a ride bitch

(No!)Sit up front

(Well I can't just leave Hailie alone, what if she wakes up?)We'll be right back

Well I will. you'll be in the trunk(AZLyrics, 2000-2012)

Eminem’s daughter, Hailie Jade Scott Mathers, has been his main source of inspiration since the beginning. He talks about how much he loves her in several of his songs. Eminem’s grandmother Kresin said “He always wanted to be there for her, because his dad wasn’t around for him, and he made sure she didn’t want for anything.” Eminem ended up with full custody of Hailie after the divorce. He also won the court case when Kim tried to sue him for the song “Kim.”Hailie is now 16 years old. (ABC News)

(Lilshadeebaby.com, 2005)

(Damncoolpictures.com, 2012)

Lyrics from “Hailie’s Song” by EminemVerse 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5w3zl7aL58

Man, if I could sing, I'd keep singing this song to my daughter

If I could hit the notes, I'd blow something as long as my father

To show her how I feel about her, how proud I am that I got her

God, I'm a daddy, I'm so glad that her mum didn't abort her

Now you probably get this picture from my public persona

That I'm a pistol-packing drug-addict who bags on his momma,

But I wanna just take this time out to be perfectly honestCuz there's a lot of shit I keep bottled that hurts deep

inside o' my soul,And just know that I grow colder the older I grow

This boulder on my shoulder gets heavy and harder to hold

And this load is like the weight of the worldAnd I think my neck is breaking should I just give up,

Or try to live up to these expectations?Now look, I love my daughter more than life in itself,

But I got a wife that's determined to make my life livin'hell

But I handle it well, given the circumstances I'm dealtSo many chances, man, it's too bad, coulda had someone

elseBut the years that I've wasted are nothing to the tears

that I've tastedSo here's what I'm facin':

3 felonies, 6 years of probationI've went to jail for this woman, I've been to bat for this

womanI've taken bats to peoples backs, bent over backwards for

this womanMan, I shoulda seen it comin', what'd I stick my penis up

in?Woulda ripped the pre-nup up if I'd seen what she was

fuckin'But fuck it, it's over, there's no more reason to cry no

moreI got my baby, baby the only lady that I adore, Hailie

So sayonara, try tomorra, nice to know yaMy baby's travelled back to the arms of her rightful

ownerAnd suddenly it seems that my shoulder blades have just

shiftedIt's like the greatest gift you can get

The weight has been lifted(AZLyrics, 2000-2012)

Ja rule – Got mad at Eminem and Dr. Dre for singing 50 Cent to Shady/Aftermath Records. Ja Rule threatened Dre and Eminem that if 50 Cent released a diss track toward Ja Rule or Murder Ink. (Ja Rules record company), he would hold Dr. Dre and Eminem responsible(http://www.eminem.net/enemies/ja_rule/)

ICP (Insane Clown Posse) – Back in 1995 Eminem was going to perform at a party and was handing out flyers. On the flyer it said “Appearance from ICP….Maybe.” ICP took this as a form of disrespect, so Eminem and ICP were at it for years. Several diss tracks were released before they finally decided to be adults about the situation and “squash the beef.” (http://www.eminem.net/enemies/icp/)

(spin.com)

(Kooz Top 5)

Along his rise to fame, Eminem has developed several enemies. A few of them include:

Moby – At the Grammys, Moby called Eminem ''a misogynist, a homophobe, a racist, and an anti-Semite.'‘ Eminem responded to Moby’s insult in his song “Without Me.” In verse 3 Eminem says, “and Mobyyou can get stomped by Obie [Obie Trice is a rapper that works with Eminem’s record company], you 36 year old bald headed fag blow me! You don't know me, you're too old, let go, its over, nobody listens to techno.” On The Late Night Show with Conan O’Brien‘ Moby said “I only wish Eminem could relax and enjoy all he has: his unique talent, and his smooth white hair, which brings to mind a beagle's nutsack. He should lighten up... I mean, my mom was a bitch too, but I don't go writing songs about it.”(http://www.eminem.net/enemies/moby/)

(Carrozza)

Eminem, “Without Me.” 2002.Verse 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkUvmDQ3HY

“Though I'm not the first king of controversy I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley, to do Black Music so selfishly and use it to get myself wealthy (Hey)”

I thought this was an interesting line because we just learned about how Elvis Presley was the controversial bridge for the gap between white and black music.His hip gyrations and sexual lyrics caused an uproar in the white community, and now Eminem is doing the same thing.

In 2009:2 MTV Awards

In 2010:2 American Music Awards2 Grammy Awards3 MTV Awards1 Music of Black Origin Award1 People’s Choice Award1 Soul Train Music Award3 Teen Choice Awards

In 2011:6 Billboard Music Awards2 Grammy Awards4 Peoples Choice Awards2 MTV Music Video Awards in Japan1 Teen Choice Award3 Detroit Music Awards1 Creative Arts Emmy Award1 Barbados Music Award

(eminem.net)

Despite his controversial lyrics, Eminem has been presented with multiple awards. Some of which include:

Eminem’s new album “Recovery” is a lot less controversial than his past albums. This album is about recovering from his drug addictions and hardships rather than how negatively they affect him. My favorite song from this album is called “Not Afraid.” It is about him recovering from drugs. I like this song because I saw how the drugs affected his music and his appearance. He looked really sick for a while and it is nice to see him healthy again. The video is good too. It shows him looking at his reflection and seeing how he used to look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s

Last verse of “Not Afraid”:“It was my decision to get clean, I did it for meAdmittedly, I probably did it subliminallyFor you, so I could come back a brand new me you helped see me through”

(Atkins, 2011)

Although I listen to mostly rock and not very much rap music, I chose to do my project on Eminem because I think he is an inspiring individual. He had a difficult childhood and has had to overcome so much discrimination. I think that his willpower to continue, despite his hardships, is something that we can all learn from. Many people grow up in similar situations to what Eminem had to experience, and it is extremely difficult to overcome the emotional traumas associated with seeing the things that he saw as a child. I also admire how unique his style is. He uses words and phrases that seem to be beyond the education of a rapper. Very few rap artists use a wide range of vocabulary like Eminem does. I think he is a brilliant artist that was dealt a crappy hand in this game called life.

Work Cited

1. Aaron, 2009. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091027030422AArYCxs2. ABC News, August 30. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=116074&page=13. Answers Corporation, 2012.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_times_has_eminem_been_sued_by_his_mother4. Atkins, Sam. January 23, 2011.

http://808sandformulae.blogspot.com/2011/01/brit-awards-2011-predictionswishes_24.html#!/2011/01/brit-awards-2011-predictionswishes_24.html

5. AZLyrics.com. 2000-2012. Eminem, “Cleaning Out My Closet.” http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/cleaninoutmycloset.html

6. AZLyrics.com. 2000-2012. Eminem, “Hailie’s Song.” http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/hailiessong.html

7. AZLyrics.com. 2000-2012. Eminem, “Kim.” http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/kim.html

8. AZLyrics.com. 2000-2012. Eminem, “My Name Is.” http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/mynameis.html

9. Bingaman Jen. 2012. Web. http://www.thepursuitofsassiness.com/2012/06/19/the-case-files-eminem/

10. Carrozza, Ben. September 2003-2009. http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/music/photos/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=20748824&page=6

11. Damn Cool Pictures, 2012. Photo. http://www.damncoolpictures.com/2011/04/eminems-daughter-hailie-jade-is-15-and.html

12. Dton47. July,6 2009. Eminem, “Kim.” Music video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wrwXNwoj8

13. Fuoco-Karasinski, Christina. November 19, 2008. Web. http://www.theboombox.com/2008/11/19/eminems-mom-sets-the-record-straight-in-new-book/

14) Fuoco-Karasinski, Christina. November 19, 2008. Web. http://www.theboombox.com/2008/11/19/eminems-mom-sets-the-record-straight-in-new-book/

15) gjhsdjhd. September 27, 2009. Eminem, “My Name is.” Music video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA6_yvgS9As

16) Howien07. 2012. Photo. http://s735.photobucket.com/albums/ww357/howien07/?action=view&current=Slim-Shady-20659.jpg&newest=1

17) http://www.eminem.net/awards/18) http://www.eminem.net/quotes/19) http://www.eminemlounge.com/20) Kooz Top 5, 2012. http://kooztop5.blogspot.com/2012/05/top-5-rap-feuds.html21) LittleItaly. 2010.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100124013540AAyRpWE22) N.a. 2005. Photo. http://lilshadeebaby.tripod.com/shadysbabyhailie/id4.html 23) Spin.com, 2012. http://www.spin.com/articles/eminems-new-video-ja-rule-jail-more24) Today’s Top Opinion. January, 19 2006. Photo.

http://today.ccopinion.com/eminem-kim-mathers-wedding-picture/25) Zimbo Inc. 2012.

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Kim+Mathers/Marshall+Mathers+Court+Hearing/aX0R8paYvYr